According to Parkash, his father does his routine chores on his own and has good vision.

A team of election officials called on Negi last week to know his well-being.

Retired as a junior basic teacher from a government school in 1975, Negi was among the first to vote in independent India’s first Lok Sabha battle in 1951 in Chini constituency – later renamed Kinnaur.

At that time, balloting in the snow-bound area was held ahead of other places in the state and the country.

In 2010, then Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla visited Negi’s village to honour him as part of the Election Commission’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

Negi has voted in every general, Assembly and panchayat elections since 1951. He pledges to vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections too.

“Yes, I will be among the first to cast my vote,” Negi said.

The election department has a video of Negi casting his vote in 2007, 2012 and 2017 Assembly and the 2009 and 2014 parliamentary elections.

Kalpa village is part of the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Kullu and Mandi and parts of Chamba and Shimla districts besides the tribal-dominated Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts.